Sabratha’s theatre lies on the city’s outskirts, beyond its Byzantine walls. It was built in the second century AD and reconstructed by Italian archaeologists in the twentieth century.
The seating and stage of the theatre are relatively intact, as are the backstage rooms, making it the most complete Roman theatre in the world.
The Remains of the Theatre of Sabratha
Sabratha’s theatre had 25 entrances and could seat approximately 5000 spectators. Its stage backdrop is 25 metres high, consisting of 108 Corinthian columns arranged in three stories.
The backstage area included two luxurious marble panelled “green rooms” on either wing and prop and dressing rooms. The area was accessed from the stage via any of the three entrances in the backdrop: one at the centre and two on either side.
Reconstructive Archaeology
The theatre appears so complete because of its reconstruction by Italian archaeologists in the 1930s. After its reconstruction, the theatre was re-inaugurated by Mussolini and once again used to hold plays.
However, many of the materials used to rebuild Sabratha’s theatre were not original, as only fragments of the original theatre remained. For instance, in an inscription on the entablature of the backdrop, only one word, lacuna (ironically meaning a gap), remains in place. The rest is lost, and the entablature is reconstructed from non-original stonework. The same applies to the columns of the stage backdrop. These may look impressive, but they are not original. In the ancient theatre, the lower columns were of Synnadic marble, with those of the second story in white marble and the third in black granite. The columns in situ today are replicas made from travertine marble.
The Stage Decor of a Roman Theatre
One feature of the theatre that did survive relatively well was the reliefs lining the base of the stage, facing the orchestra and the audience. These reliefs alternated between semi-circular and rectangular recesses, with each recess type having a specific theme.
The semi-circular recesses focused on myth and religion. Here, reliefs featured portrayals of the muses, a personification of the meeting between Sabratha and Rome, a religious scene featuring a libation and bull sacrifice and a depiction of the Three Graces.
The rectangular recesses had a theatrical theme. They included reliefs of dramatic rehearsal, dances and scenes from comedies, tragedies, and pantomimes performed in Roman times. Other images showed scrolls and various other roman writing materials used by playwrights of the time, as well various dramatic props such as comic and tragic masks. These activities were presided over by the Goddess Fortune, Mercury, Dionysus, Liber Pater, Hercules and Victory.
Resources
Ward, Philip, Sabratha: A Guide for Visitors. Darf Publishers: London
Sabratha (2005) Dar Al-Anies Publishing
